Brian Johnson, president of the chamber, told the Kennedale Economic Development Corporation during its Aug. 26 meeting that the chamber has rewritten its bylaws, reduced its board from 13 to 12 members, and moved its luncheons from monthly to quarterly to increase business participation.

Johnson said the change to quarterly luncheons aimed to make meetings more business-friendly and interactive: “we’re going to have round tables, panel discussions, something that will be a little bit more interactive.” He said the chamber intends to use guest speakers and panels to attract both larger employers and smaller emerging businesses.

The update matters because the chamber serves as a connector between local businesses and city economic development efforts, Johnson said, and he described plans to re-engage lapsed members and improve the chamber’s value proposition.

Johnson, who said he was elected chamber president in June, listed fellow officers by name: Bridal Griffith as vice president, Mike Walker as secretary and Chad Gee as treasurer. He said the chamber is recruiting new members because many memberships are on one-year terms and several seats will be rolling. He also said the chamber is working with CP2 to reengage businesses that have “dropped off the chamber radar.”

On membership tiers and sponsorships, Johnson said the chamber still lists a $50 annual membership tier, a $250 tier and a $2,000 premier sponsor level. When asked, he confirmed those are annual fees and said the memberships include luncheon benefits and recognition in programs.

Johnson also described internal governance work underway: the chamber plans governance training to redefine board roles and set goals for the coming year. He said staff assistance has been important in restarting activity: “we pay roughly 15% of their salary … the idea is that they work 15% of their time for the chamber,” Johnson said, adding that the chamber will pay its fair share for any additional staff time used.

During a brief question-and-answer period, an audience member asked about membership costs and website information; Johnson said details are on the chamber website and reiterated the September luncheon date.

The chamber’s update closed with Johnson thanking the Economic Development Corporation for its past role in local projects and offering to return to the EDC with quarterly updates.

The chamber’s remarks were presented as a public comment to the EDC; no formal action by the EDC was taken on chamber governance or funding during the meeting.